Cape Town — Learners, teachers and residents in Swalala Village in Mpumalanga were left in fear after they witnessed a 13-year-old boy allegedly stabbing a teacher and two pupils last week.
Mpumalanga police spokesperson, Donald Mdhluli, said the young boy was from Masoyi Primary School and was arrested last Thursday and remained in the custody of his parents.
According to a post by Blue Hazy FM on Facebook, the incident happened late in the afternoon when young boys were travelling home from school.
“The group was confronted by a boy who appeared to be in his mid-teens and insisted that they give up their belts from their school uniforms. The boys were surprised by the request and were surprised that it was so odd,” it said.
The boy allegedly targeted one of the 3-year-old boys and stabbed him in the back when he hesitated.
According to a source from the Mpumalanga Department of Education, shortly after the boy had stabbed a fellow pupil, he had stabbed a male teacher from another school in the same village, The Citizen reported.
According to the chairperson of the School Governing Body for Masoyi Primary School, Mark Ngobeni, the fighting was gang-related and the matter is currently under police investigation.
The South African Democratic Teachers Union’s (SADTU) Walter Hlaise said he was unaware of the violent incidents but strongly condemned all forms of violence. He said law enforcement authorities and the Department of Education should clamp down on children possessing weapons.
The Department’s spokesperson, Gerald Sambo, also called on parents to remain vigilant regarding their children and to address issues of violent crimes.
“Any form of violence against pupils cannot be tolerated, it is unacceptable. We urge our pupils to refrain from using violence to resolve their differences with their peers,” he said,
“We also call on parents to regularly check what is contained in their children’s school bags and to teach them about good morals and values,” he added.
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
